Light sensor beneath a dual-mode display

ABSTRACT

The technology disclosed here integrates a light sensor with a dual-mode display, thus increasing the size of the dual-mode display. The light sensor can be a camera, an ambient sensor, a proximity sensor, etc. The light sensor is placed beneath the dual-mode display and can detect incoming light while the dual-mode display is displaying a display image. The dual-mode display and the light sensor can operate at the same time. For example, a camera placed beneath the dual-mode display can record an image of the environment, while at the same time the dual-mode display is showing the display image. Further, multiple light sensors can be placed at various locations beneath the dual-mode display.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/249,130, filed on Oct. 30, 2015, U.S. Provisional Application No.62/300,631, filed on Feb. 26, 2016, U.S. Provisional Application No.62/319,099, filed on Apr. 6, 2016, and U.S. Provisional Application No.62/373,910, filed on Aug. 11, 2016, all of which are incorporated byreference herein in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application is related to a light sensor, and morespecifically to methods and systems that incorporate the light sensorbeneath a dual-mode display.

BACKGROUND

Present day cameras and electronic displays, when integrated into thesame device, occupy separate regions of the device. A region of thedevice associated with the camera does not function as a display, whilea region of the device functioning as the electronic display does notfunction as a camera.

SUMMARY

The technology disclosed here integrates a light sensor with a dual-modedisplay, thus increasing the size of the dual-mode display. The lightsensor can be a camera, an ambient sensor, a proximity sensor, etc. Thelight sensor is placed beneath the dual-mode display and can detectincoming light while the dual-mode display is displaying a displayimage. The dual-mode display and the light sensor can operate at thesame time. For example, a camera placed beneath the dual-mode displaycan record an image of the environment, while at the same time thedual-mode display is showing the display image. Further, multiple lightsensors can be placed at various locations beneath the dual-modedisplay.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A shows a light sensor beneath a dual-mode display, according toone embodiment.

FIG. 1B shows a deactivated selectively addressable region, according toone embodiment.

FIG. 1C shows a varying placement of the light sensors 120, 130, 140,according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows various layers included in a dual-mode display, accordingto one embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows an addressing grid which enables the display controller toselectively turn on and off selectively addressable region, according toone embodiment.

FIG. 4A shows a curved dual-mode display with multiple light sensorsplaced underneath the display, according to one embodiment.

FIGS. 4B-4C show a top view of the curved dual-mode display 410,according to one embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a dual-mode display with a camera placed underneath thedisplay, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method to place the light sensor beneath thedual-mode display, according to one embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method to place the light sensor beneath thedual-mode display, according to another embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the example formof a computer system within which a set of instructions, for causing themachine to perform any one or more of the methodologies or modulesdiscussed herein, may be executed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Technology

The technology disclosed here integrates a light sensor with a dual-modedisplay, thus increasing the size of the dual-mode display. The lightsensor can be a camera, an ambient sensor, a proximity sensor, etc. Thelight sensor is placed beneath the dual-mode display and can detectincoming light while the dual-mode display is displaying a displayimage. The dual-mode display and the light sensor can operate at thesame time. For example, a camera placed beneath the dual-mode displaycan record an image of the environment, while at the same time thedual-mode display is showing the display image. Further, multiple lightsensors can be placed at various locations beneath the dual-modedisplay.

FIG. 1A shows a light sensor beneath a dual-mode display, according toone embodiment. A mobile device 100 includes the dual-mode display 110,a light sensor 120, optional additional light sensors 130, 140, and adisplay controller (not pictured), such as a processor, to deactivate aselectively addressable region 125 of the dual-mode display 110.

The selectively addressable region 125 can be the same size as the lightsensor 120, can be smaller than the light sensor 120, or can be largerthan the light sensor 120. The selectively addressable region is placedabove the light sensor 120. The selectively addressable region 125 canoperate in a transparent mode when the dual-mode display is opaque, andcan operate in an opaque mode, with the dual-mode display istransparent. When the selectively addressable region 125 is in thetransparent mode, the selectively addressable region allows light toenter and exit through the selectively addressable region 125. Forexample, when the light sensor 120 is a proximity sensor, theselectively addressable region 125 turns transparent, and allows a beamof light, e.g., an infrared beam of light, from the proximity sensor toexit through the selectively addressable region 125, and enter throughthe selectively addressable region 125 back to the proximity sensor.

The dual-mode display 110 becomes opaque when displaying opaque portionsof a display image. The dual-mode display 110 becomes substantiallytransparent when not displaying the display image. When the dual-modedisplay 110 is displaying transparent portions of the image, thedual-mode display 110 can be substantially transparent, the dual-modedisplay 110 can be opaque, or, the dual-mode display 110 can assume adegree of transparency corresponding to the degree of transparency ofthe display image. The dual-mode display 110 can be opticallytransparent to the visible light, infrared light, etc.

The light sensor 120 is placed beneath a selectively addressable region125 of the dual-mode display 110. The light sensor 120 can be a camera,an ambient sensor, a proximity sensor, etc. The light sensor 120, andthe optional additional light sensors 130, 140 can activate anddeactivate. When the light sensor 120, and the optional additional lightsensors 130, 140 activate, they can detect a property of incoming light,such as frequency, intensity, and/or time of flight of incoming light.For example, when the light sensor 120 is a camera, when the camera isactive, the camera records an image, i.e. the camera detects frequencyand intensity of incoming light. When the light sensor 120 is an ambientsensor, when the ambient sensor is active, the ambient sensor measuresthe intensity of ambient light. When the light sensor 120 is a proximitysensor, the proximity sensor emits a light beam, such as an infraredlight beam, and measures a time of flight of the emitted light beam.From the time of flight of the emitted light beam, the proximity sensordetermines distance to an object.

FIG. 1B shows a deactivated selectively addressable region, according toone embodiment. When the light sensor 120, and/or optional additionallight sensors 130, 140 activate, the display controller deactivates theselectively addressable region corresponding to the light sensor 120,and/or the optional additional light sensors 130, 140. The displaycontroller can deactivate to the selectively addressable region bysending a first signal to the selectively addressable region todeactivate, and thus become transparent. Similarly, the displaycontroller can activate the selectively addressable region by sending asecond signal to the selectively addressable region to activate. In FIG.1B, the light sensor 120 is active, and consequently the selectivelyaddressable region 125 of the dual-mode display 110 stops displaying thedisplay image, specifically, the battery icon.

As seen in FIG. 1B, the battery icon disappears from the dual-modedisplay 110. When the selectively addressable region 125 of thedual-mode display 110 is inactive, the selectively addressable region125 becomes substantially transparent to enable the light sensor 120 toreceive incoming light. In one embodiment, the size of the light sensor120 is sufficiently small, so that the missing selectively addressableregion 125 of the dual-mode display 110 tends to be unnoticeable to auser. Additionally or alternatively, the display controller candeactivate the selectively addressable region 125 for a sufficientlyshort amount of time, so that the user does not have time to perceivethe missing selectively addressable region 125. For example, thesufficiently short amount of time can be less than 1/30 of a second.

FIG. 1C shows a varying placement of the light sensors 120, 130, 140,according to one embodiment. The light sensors 120, 130, 140 can beplaced proximate to each other, as seen in placement 160, or can beplaced individually, as seen in placement 170. The light sensors 120,130, 140 can take on various shapes such as a circle, an ellipse, arectangle, a rectangle with at least one rounded edge, etc. The lightsensors 120, 130, 140 can be placed anywhere on the screen, such as incorners of the screen, along the sides of the screen, in the center,etc.

FIG. 2 shows various layers included in a dual-mode display, accordingto one embodiment. The dual-mode display includes a cathode layer 200,an organic light emitting diode (OLED) layer 210, an anode layer 220, anoptional thin film transistor (TFT) layer 230, and a substrate 240. Alight sensor 250, such as a camera, an ambient sensor, a proximitysensor, etc., is placed beneath the dual-mode display.

During operation, a voltage is applied across the OLED layer 210 suchthat the anode layer 220 is positive with respect to the cathode layer200. A current of electrons flows through the device from the cathodelayer 200 to the anode layer 220. The current of electrons flowingthrough the OLED layer 210 excites the organic materials in the OLEDlayer to emit radiation at frequencies in the visible light spectrum.

The optional TFT layer 230 can be used in active matrix organic lightemitting diode (AMOLED) displays. The optional TFT layer 230 is notrequired in passive matrix organic light emitting diode (PMOLED)displays. The activation of each individual OLED, whether in AMOLED orPMOLED displays, can be done in various ways, such as using row andcolumn addressing, or activating each individual OLED, as describedherein.

The substrate 240 can be substantially transparent, reflective, opaque,etc. When the substrate 240 is substantially transparent, an opaquelayer 270 can be placed beneath the substrate 240 and the light sensor250, such as an opaque graphite layer. When the substrate 240 is notsubstantially transparent, the substrate 240 is modified so that aregion of the substrate 260 placed above the light sensor 250 issubstantially transparent. Further, the region of the substrate 260 canbe part of the light sensor 250. For example, the region of thesubstrate 260 can be a lens focusing light on to the light sensor 250underneath, such as a camera, an ambient sensor, a proximity sensor,etc.

FIG. 3 shows an addressing grid which enables the display controller toselectively turn on and off selectively addressable region, according toone embodiment. A plurality of horizontal electrodes 300 (only onelabeled for brevity) and a plurality of vertical electrodes 310 (onlyone labeled for brevity) intersect beneath the dual-mode display. Eachintersection 320 (only one labeled for brevity) is associated with alight emitting element such as an OLED. When both the single horizontalelectrode 300 and the single vertical electrode 310 are active, thelight emitting element associated with intersection 320 emits light.When either the plurality of horizontal electrodes 300 or the pluralityof vertical electrodes 310 are inactive, the light emitting elementassociated with intersection 320 stops emitting light.

Region 330 corresponds to the selectively addressable region situatedabove a light sensor. Let us say that the electrodes 340, 350, 360, 370are straight lines (not pictured), and address the region 330, inaddition to the whole dual-mode display. In that case, turning off theelectrodes 340, 350, 360, 370 not only turns off the region 330corresponding to the light sensor, but a whole vertical and horizontalstrip of the display corresponding to the electrodes 340, 350, 360, 370turns off. To turn off the light emitting elements only in the region330, the display controller needs to be able to address the lightemitting elements in the region 330, separately from the light emittingelements associated with the rest of the dual-mode display.

In one embodiment, to create separate addressing for the region 330, twosets of separately addressable electrodes are created. A first set ofelectrodes is responsible for activating majority of the dual-modedisplay, while the second set of electrodes is responsible foractivating region 330 corresponding to the selectively addressableregion placed above the light sensor. The first set of electrodesincludes horizontal and vertical electrodes 340, 350, 360, 370 and isresponsible for activating the dual-mode display except for theselectively addressable region. The horizontal and vertical electrodes340, 350, 360, 370 corresponding to the region 330 are routed around theregion 330, as shown in FIG. 3. The second set of separately addressablehorizontal and vertical electrodes 380, 390, 305, 315, 325, 335 isadded, and corresponds to the region 330. The second set of separatelyaddressable horizontal and vertical electrodes 380, 390, 305, 315, 325,335 can only address the region 330, and cannot address any other partof the dual-mode display. The layout density of the second set ofseparately addressable horizontal and vertical electrodes 380, 390, 305,315, 325, 335 can be the same, or can differ from the first set ofelectrodes. In FIG. 3 the layout density of the second set of electrodesis higher than the layout density of the first set of electrodes.

In another embodiment, each light emitting element can be individuallyaddressable. For example, if there are m×n light emitting elements,there are m×n unique addresses corresponding to each light emittingelement. In such a case, to uniquely address region 330 corresponding tothe selectively addressable region placed above the light sensor, amemory associated with the display controller, stores the uniqueaddresses of the light emitting elements associated with the region 330.The processor queries the memory for the unique addresses correspondingto the light emitting elements associated with the region 330. If thereare multiple regions 330 corresponding to multiple light sensors, thememory stores the ID of the light sensor and the unique addresses of thelight emitting elements corresponding to the light sensor. The processorqueries the memory for the unique addresses of the light emittingelements associated with the ID of the light sensor, the processor isabout to activate.

FIG. 4A shows a curved dual-mode display with multiple light sensorsplaced underneath the display, according to one embodiment. The curveddual-mode display 400 includes a plurality of light sensors 410 (onlyone light sensor is labeled for brevity). A light sensor in theplurality of light sensors 410 can be a camera, an ambient sensor, aproximity sensor, etc. The plurality of light sensors 410 can be placedanywhere on the curved dual-mode display 400. For example, the pluralityof light sensors 410 can be evenly distributed throughout the curveddual-mode display 400, placed in the corners of the display, the centerof the display, the sides of the display, etc.

When the light sensor is a camera, the light sensor can record an imageof the user's head. When the user's head is recorded by the plurality oflight sensors 410, the processor, using triangulation, can determine aposition of the user's head, based on a plurality of images recorded bythe plurality of light sensors 410. The position of the user's head caninclude a three-dimensional position of the user's head, rotation of theuser's head, the user's visual focus point 460, and/or the user's gazedirection 480.

Similarly, when the light sensor is a proximity sensor, the light sensorcan measure a distance from the light sensor to the user's head. Whenthe distance to the user's head is measured by the plurality of lightsensors 410, using triangulation, the processor can determine theposition of the user's head, based on a plurality of measurementsrecorded by the plurality of light sensors 410. The position of theuser's head can include a three-dimensional position of the user's head,rotation of the user's head, the user's visual focus point 460, and/orthe user's gaze direction 480.

For example, the processor determines the user's visual focus point 460on the dual-mode display. Based on the user's visual focus point 460,the processor activates the camera 470 closest to the user. The camera470 records an image of the user. The image so recorded captures theuser's gaze. Recording of the user's gaze, by the camera 470 closest tothe user, can be useful in teleconferencing applications to create anappearance that the user is always looking at the conversationalist onthe other end of the teleconferencing meeting.

FIGS. 4B-4C show a top view of the curved dual-mode display 400,according to one embodiment. Based on the position of the user's head,the processor can display a different display image on the dual-modedisplay 400.

For example, in FIG. 4B, the processor determines that the direction ofthe user's gaze 420 is towards the center of the curved dual-modedisplay 400. The processor then determines the field of view associatedwith the user's field of view 430. Based on the user's field of view430, the processor only displays a portion 440 of the image (shaded inFIG. 4B) that the user can see, thereby reducing the load on theresources, such as the memory, the processor, the graphics card,required to generate the image.

Similarly, in FIG. 4C the processor determines that the position of theuser's gaze 490 is directed towards a side of the display. Consequently,the processor reduces resource consumption, such as the memory, theprocessor, and/or the graphics card consumption, by only rendering theportion of the image 450 (shaded in FIG. 4C) that the user can see.

FIG. 5 shows a dual-mode display with a camera placed underneath thedisplay, according to one embodiment. Glasses 500 include one or morelenses 510, 520, one or more user facing cameras 530, 540, and one ormore environment facing cameras 550. The one or more lenses 510, 520 canbe prescription lenses, photosensitive lenses, sunglass lenses, etc.Each lens in the one or more lenses 510, 520 includes a dual-modedisplay, with one or more using facing cameras 530, 540 placed withinthe dual-mode display. The one or more user facing cameras 530, 540 areoriented towards the user, and can track the direction of the user'sgaze. One or more environment facing cameras 550 can be placed on theframe of the glasses 500, or within the one or more lenses 510, 520. Theone or more environment facing cameras 550 record the environment thatthe user sees. Based on the environment that the user sees, and based onthe direction of the user's gaze, the processor can display an image toaugment the environment around the user. For example, if the user islooking at a barcode of an item, the processor can display cheaperpurchasing options of the same item.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method to place the light sensor beneath thedual-mode display, according to one embodiment. In step 600, a dual-modedisplay is configured to become opaque when displaying opaque portionsof a display image, and to become substantially transparent when notdisplaying the display image. When the dual-mode display is displayingtransparent portions of the image, the dual-mode display can besubstantially transparent, the dual-mode display can be opaque, or, thedual-mode display can assume a degree of transparency corresponding tothe degree of transparency of the display image. The dual-mode displaycan be optically transparent to the visible light, infrared light, etc.

Configuring the dual-mode display includes providing a substantiallytransparent cathode layer, providing a substantially transparent lightemitting layer comprising organic light emitting diodes, providing asubstantially transparent anode layer, and providing a substrate. Thesubstrate can be substantially transparent, opaque, reflective, etc.When the substrate is opaque and/or reflective, a region of thesubstrate is made transparent such that a light sensor placed beneaththe substrate can record light coming through the transparent region ofthe substrate. The region of the substrate above the light sensor can bea lens focusing incoming light to the light sensor. Additionally oralternatively, the region of the substrate can be part of the lightsensor.

In addition to the above-mentioned layers, an optional thin filmtransistor (TFT) layer can be provided to cause the substantiallytransparent light emitting layer to emit light. When the substrate issubstantially transparent, an opaque graphite layer can be placedbeneath the substrate and the light sensor.

In step 610, a light sensor is placed beneath a selectively addressableregion. The light sensor activates and deactivates. When the lightsensor activates the light sensor detects a property of incoming light,such as frequency, intensity, time of travel. The light sensor can be acamera, an ambient sensor, a proximity sensor, etc.

Placing the light sensor includes establishing a correspondence betweenthe light sensor and the selectively addressable region, as describedherein. For example, establishing the correspondence can include:configuring a first set of electrodes to activate and to deactivate thedual-mode display except the selectively addressable region; andconfiguring a second set of electrodes to activate and to deactivate theselectively addressable region.

In another example, establishing the correspondence can include: storingin a memory an identification associated with a plurality of lightemitting elements corresponding to the selectively addressable region;and sending the identification associated with the plurality of lightemitting elements to a display controller. When there is a plurality oflight sensors corresponding to a plurality of selectively addressableregions, the memory stores identification (ID) of the light sensor andan ID of the selectively addressable region, which is associated withthe light sensor. The processor can send the ID of the selectivelyaddressable region to the memory, and ask for the identification of theplurality of light emitting elements associated with the sentselectively addressable region ID.

In step 620, the selectively addressable region is configured to notdisplay the display image when the light sensor activates, such that theinactive selectively addressable region tends to be unnoticeable to auser. In one embodiment, the size of the light sensor is sufficientlysmall, such as less than 3 mm, so that the missing selectivelyaddressable region tends to be unnoticeable to a user. Additionally oralternatively, the display controller can deactivate the selectivelyaddressable region for a sufficiently short amount of time, so that theuser does not have time to perceive the missing selectively addressableregion. For example, the sufficiently short amount of time can be lessthan 1/30 of a second.

In addition, to the steps described above, a plurality of cameras can beplaced beneath a plurality of portions of the dual-mode display. Theplurality of cameras can record a plurality of images. A processor canbe configured to track the user's head, based on the plurality of imagesrecorded by the plurality of cameras. Based on the head tracking theprocessor can be configured to display a different display image on thedual-mode display. The plurality of cameras can be placed anywhere onthe dual-mode display. For example the plurality of cameras can beevenly distributed, can be placed in corners of the display, the centerof the display, etc. instead of the plurality of cameras, or in additionto the plurality of cameras, one or more proximity sensors can be usedto track the user's head.

In addition to head tracking, the processor can be configured to trackthe user's eyes, based on a plurality of images recorded by theplurality of cameras. Based on the eye tracking, a camera in theplurality of cameras can be activated, where the camera is closest tothe user's focus point on the substantially transfer parent displaylayer. Activating the camera includes recording, by the camera, an imageof the user. The image of the user captures the user's gaze, and can beused in teleconferencing applications to create an appearance of theuser is always facing the conversationalist on the other end of a videocall.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method to place the light sensor beneath thedual-mode display, according to another embodiment. In step 700, aprocessor establishes a correspondence between a camera placed beneath aselectively addressable region of a dual-mode display and theselectively addressable region. In step 710, the processor causes thedual-mode display to become opaque when displaying a display image. Instep 720, the processor records an image by the camera while thedual-mode display is displaying the display image. In step 730, duringrecording the image by the camera, the processor causes the selectivelyaddressable region to stop displaying the display image, such that theselectively addressable region tends to be unnoticeable to a user. Forexample, for the selectively addressable region to be unnoticeable tothe user, the selectively addressable region can be sufficiently small,such as less than 3 mm. Additionally, or alternatively, the selectivelyaddressable region can be turned off for a sufficiently short period oftime, such as less than 1/30 of a second.

In addition to the steps described above, the plurality of camerasdisposed beneath the dual-mode display can record a plurality of images.Based on the plurality of images recorded by the plurality of cameras,the processor determines a position of the user's head. Responsive tothe position of the user's head, the processor displays a differentdisplay image on the dual-mode display.

In addition to determining the position of the user's head, theprocessor can determine the user's visual focus point on the dual-modedisplay, based on the plurality of images recorded by the plurality ofcameras. Based on the user's visual focus point, the processor canactivate a camera in the plurality of cameras closest to the user'svisual focus point. Activating the camera includes recording, by thecamera, an image of the user. The camera closest to the user's visualfocus point is best at capturing user's gaze, and creating an appearancethat the user is looking at the conversationalist on the other end of avideo call.

The processor can also perform calibration of the camera placed beneaththe dual-mode display. When the dual-mode display is not displaying thedisplay image, the camera records a calibration image. When thedual-mode display is displaying the display image, the camera records animage. Based on the calibration image, the processor modifies therecorded image to obtain a final image. For example, the processor cansubtract the calibration image from the recorded image to obtain thefinal image.

Computer

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the example formof a computer system 800 within which a set of instructions, for causingthe machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies or modulesdiscussed herein, may be executed.

In the example of FIG. 8, the computer system 800 includes a processor,memory, non-volatile memory, and an interface device. Various commoncomponents (e.g., cache memory) are omitted for illustrative simplicity.The computer system 800 is intended to illustrate a hardware device onwhich any of the components described in the example of FIGS. 1-7 (andany other components described in this specification) can beimplemented. The computer system 800 can be of any applicable known orconvenient type. The components of the computer system 800 can becoupled together via a bus or through some other known or convenientdevice.

This disclosure contemplates the computer system 800 taking any suitablephysical form. As example and not by way of limitation, computer system800 may be an embedded computer system, a system-on-chip (SOC), asingle-board computer system (SBC) (such as, for example, acomputer-on-module (COM) or system-on-module (SOM)), a desktop computersystem, a laptop or notebook computer system, an interactive kiosk, amainframe, a mesh of computer systems, a mobile telephone, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), a server, or a combination of two or more ofthese. Where appropriate, computer system 800 may include one or morecomputer systems 800; be unitary or distributed; span multiplelocations; span multiple machines; or reside in a cloud, which mayinclude one or more cloud components in one or more networks. Whereappropriate, one or more computer systems 800 may perform withoutsubstantial spatial or temporal limitation one or more steps of one ormore methods described or illustrated herein. As an example and not byway of limitation, one or more computer systems 800 may perform in realtime or in batch mode one or more steps of one or more methods describedor illustrated herein. One or more computer systems 800 may perform atdifferent times or at different locations one or more steps of one ormore methods described or illustrated herein, where appropriate.

The processor may be, for example, a conventional microprocessor such asan Intel Pentium microprocessor or Motorola power PC microprocessor. Oneof skill in the relevant art will recognize that the terms“machine-readable (storage) medium” or “computer-readable (storage)medium” include any type of device that is accessible by the processor.

The memory is coupled to the processor by, for example, a bus. Thememory can include, by way of example but not limitation, random accessmemory (RAM), such as dynamic RAM (DRAM) and static RAM (SRAM). Thememory can be local, remote, or distributed.

The bus also couples the processor to the non-volatile memory and driveunit. The non-volatile memory is often a magnetic floppy or hard disk, amagnetic-optical disk, an optical disk, a read-only memory (ROM), suchas a CD-ROM, EPROM, or EEPROM, a magnetic or optical card, or anotherform of storage for large amounts of data. Some of this data is oftenwritten, by a direct memory access process, into memory during executionof software in the computer 800. The non-volatile storage can be local,remote, or distributed. The non-volatile memory is optional becausesystems can be created with all applicable data available in memory. Atypical computer system will usually include at least a processor,memory, and a device (e.g., a bus) coupling the memory to the processor.

Software is typically stored in the non-volatile memory and/or the driveunit. Indeed, storing and entire large program in memory may not even bepossible. Nevertheless, it should be understood that for software torun, if necessary, it is moved to a computer readable locationappropriate for processing, and for illustrative purposes, that locationis referred to as the memory in this paper. Even when software is movedto the memory for execution, the processor will typically make use ofhardware registers to store values associated with the software, andlocal cache that, ideally, serves to speed up execution. As used herein,a software program is assumed to be stored at any known or convenientlocation (from non-volatile storage to hardware registers) when thesoftware program is referred to as “implemented in a computer-readablemedium.” A processor is considered to be “configured to execute aprogram” when at least one value associated with the program is storedin a register readable by the processor.

The bus also couples the processor to the network interface device. Theinterface can include one or more of a modem or network interface. Itwill be appreciated that a modem or network interface can be consideredto be part of the computer system 800. The interface can include ananalog modem, isdn modem, cable modem, token ring interface, satellitetransmission interface (e.g. “direct PC”), or other interfaces forcoupling a computer system to other computer systems. The interface caninclude one or more input and/or output devices. The I/O devices caninclude, by way of example but not limitation, a keyboard, a mouse orother pointing device, disk drives, printers, a scanner, and other inputand/or output devices, including a display device. The display devicecan include, by way of example but not limitation, a cathode ray tube(CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), or some other applicable known orconvenient display device. For simplicity, it is assumed thatcontrollers of any devices not depicted in the example of FIG. 8 residein the interface.

In operation, the computer system 800 can be controlled by operatingsystem software that includes a file management system, such as a diskoperating system. One example of operating system software withassociated file management system software is the family of operatingsystems known as Windows® from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.,and their associated file management systems. Another example ofoperating system software with its associated file management systemsoftware is the Linux™ operating system and its associated filemanagement system. The file management system is typically stored in thenon-volatile memory and/or drive unit and causes the processor toexecute the various acts required by the operating system to input andoutput data and to store data in the memory, including storing files onthe non-volatile memory and/or drive unit.

Some portions of the detailed description may be presented in terms ofalgorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bitswithin a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions andrepresentations are the means used by those skilled in the dataprocessing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their workto others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, and generally,conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of operations leading to adesired result. The operations are those requiring physicalmanipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily,these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capableof being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwisemanipulated. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasonsof common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements,symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.

It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar termsare to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and aremerely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unlessspecifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussion,it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizingterms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or“determining” or “displaying” or “generating” or the like, refer to theaction and processes of a computer system, or similar electroniccomputing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented asphysical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registersand memories into other data similarly represented as physicalquantities within the computer system memories or registers or othersuch information storage, transmission or display devices.

The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently relatedto any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general purposesystems may be used with programs in accordance with the teachingsherein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specializedapparatus to perform the methods of some embodiments. The requiredstructure for a variety of these systems will appear from thedescription below. In addition, the techniques are not described withreference to any particular programming language, and variousembodiments may thus be implemented using a variety of programminglanguages.

In alternative embodiments, the machine operates as a standalone deviceor may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networkeddeployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or aclient machine in a client-server network environment, or as a peermachine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment.

The machine may be a server computer, a client computer, a personalcomputer (PC), a tablet PC, a laptop computer, a set-top box (STB), apersonal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, an iPhone, aBlackberry, a processor, a telephone, a web appliance, a network router,switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set ofinstructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be takenby that machine.

While the machine-readable medium or machine-readable storage medium isshown in an exemplary embodiment to be a single medium, the term“machine-readable medium” and “machine-readable storage medium” shouldbe taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., acentralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches andservers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term“machine-readable medium” and “machine-readable storage medium” shallalso be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encodingor carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and thatcause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies ormodules of the presently disclosed technique and innovation.

In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of thedisclosure, may be implemented as part of an operating system or aspecific application, component, program, object, module or sequence ofinstructions referred to as “computer programs.” The computer programstypically comprise one or more instructions set at various times invarious memory and storage devices in a computer, and that, when readand executed by one or more processing units or processors in acomputer, cause the computer to perform operations to execute elementsinvolving the various aspects of the disclosure.

Moreover, while embodiments have been described in the context of fullyfunctioning computers and computer systems, those skilled in the artwill appreciate that the various embodiments are capable of beingdistributed as a program product in a variety of forms, and that thedisclosure applies equally regardless of the particular type of machineor computer-readable media used to actually effect the distribution.

Further examples of machine-readable storage media, machine-readablemedia, or computer-readable (storage) media include but are not limitedto recordable type media such as volatile and non-volatile memorydevices, floppy and other removable disks, hard disk drives, opticaldisks (e.g., Compact Disk Read-Only Memory (CD ROMS), Digital VersatileDisks, (DVDs), etc.), among others, and transmission type media such asdigital and analog communication links.

In some circumstances, operation of a memory device, such as a change instate from a binary one to a binary zero or vice-versa, for example, maycomprise a transformation, such as a physical transformation. Withparticular types of memory devices, such a physical transformation maycomprise a physical transformation of an article to a different state orthing. For example, but without limitation, for some types of memorydevices, a change in state may involve an accumulation and storage ofcharge or a release of stored charge. Likewise, in other memory devices,a change of state may comprise a physical change or transformation inmagnetic orientation or a physical change or transformation in molecularstructure, such as from crystalline to amorphous or vice versa. Theforegoing is not intended to be an exhaustive list in which a change instate for a binary one to a binary zero or vice-versa in a memory devicemay comprise a transformation, such as a physical transformation.Rather, the foregoing is intended as illustrative examples.

A storage medium typically may be non-transitory or comprise anon-transitory device. In this context, a non-transitory storage mediummay include a device that is tangible, meaning that the device has aconcrete physical form, although the device may change its physicalstate. Thus, for example, non-transitory refers to a device remainingtangible despite this change in state.

Remarks

The language used in the specification has been principally selected forreadability and instructional purposes, and it may not have beenselected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. Itis therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not bythis Detailed Description, but rather by any claims that issue on anapplication based hereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of variousembodiments is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of thescope of the embodiments, which is set forth in the following claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a dual-mode displayoperable in an opaque mode when displaying opaque portions of a displayimage, the dual-mode display operable in a transparent mode when notdisplaying the display image, the dual-mode display comprising asubstantially transparent cathode layer, a plurality of organic lightemitting diodes, and a substantially transparent anode layer; aselectively addressable region associated with the dual-mode display,the selectively addressable region disposed above a camera, theselectively addressable region operable to be transparent when remainderof the dual-mode display is in the opaque mode, and when the selectivelyaddressable region is transparent, the selectively addressable region toallow light to enter the camera, and to allow light to exit the camera;a first set of electrodes to activate and to deactivate the dual-modedisplay except the selectively addressable region; a second set ofelectrodes to activate and to deactivate the selectively addressableregion; and a display controller to send a first signal and a secondsignal to the selectively addressable region, the first signal to turnthe selectively addressable region transparent, and the second signal toturn the selectively addressable region opaque.
 2. The system of claim1, comprising: a memory to store an identification associated with aplurality of light emitting elements corresponding to the selectivelyaddressable region, and the memory to communicate the identificationassociated with the plurality of light emitting elements to the displaycontroller.
 3. The system of claim 1, comprising an ambient sensor tomeasure ambient light, the ambient sensor placed beneath the selectivelyaddressable region, and the display controller to deactivate theselectively addressable region when the ambient sensor activates, suchthat the inactive selectively addressable region tends to beunnoticeable to a user.
 4. The system of claim 1, comprising a proximitysensor to measure distance to an object, the proximity sensor placedbeneath a proximity selectively addressable region, and the displaycontroller to deactivate the proximity selectively addressable regionwhen the proximity sensor activates, such that the inactive selectivelyaddressable region tends to be unnoticeable to a user.
 5. A systemcomprising: a dual-mode display operable in an opaque mode whendisplaying opaque portions of a display image, the dual-mode displayoperable in a transparent mode when not displaying the display image; aselectively addressable region associated with the dual-mode display,the selectively addressable region disposed above a light sensor, theselectively addressable region operable to be transparent when remainderof the dual-mode display is in the opaque mode, and when the selectivelyaddressable region is transparent, the selectively addressable region toallow light to enter the light sensor, and to allow light to exit thelight sensor; a first set of electrodes to activate and to deactivatethe dual-mode display except the selectively addressable region; asecond set of electrodes to activate and to deactivate the selectivelyaddressable region; and a display controller to send a first signal anda second signal to the selectively addressable region, the first signalto turn the selectively addressable region transparent, and the secondsignal to turn the selectively addressable region opaque.
 6. The systemof claim 5, the dual-mode display comprising: a substantiallytransparent cathode layer; a plurality of organic light emitting diodes;and a substantially transparent anode layer.
 7. The system of claim 6,comprising a substantially transparent substrate.
 8. The system of claim7, an opaque layer beneath the substantially transparent substrate andthe light sensor.
 9. The system of claim 6, comprising a thin filmtransistor (TFT) layer to cause the plurality of organic light emittingdiodes to emit light.
 10. The system of claim 5, comprising: a memory tostore an identification associated with a plurality of light emittingelements corresponding to the selectively addressable region, and thememory to communicate the identification associated with the pluralityof light emitting elements to the display controller.
 11. The system ofclaim 5, comprising an opaque substrate with a transparent region, thetransparent region disposed proximate to the light sensor.
 12. Thesystem of claim 11, the transparent region comprising a lens associatedwith the light sensor, the lens to focus incoming light to the lightsensor.
 13. The system of claim 11, the transparent region comprising apart of the light sensor.
 14. The system of claim 5, the light sensorcomprising at least one of a camera to record an image of theenvironment, an ambient sensor to measure ambient light, or a proximitysensor to measure distance to an object.
 15. The system of claim 5, thelight sensor comprising a plurality of cameras; and a processorconfigured to: determine a position of the user's head, based on aplurality of images recorded by the plurality of cameras; and based onthe position of the user's head display a different display image on thedual-mode display.
 16. The system of claim 5, the light sensorcomprising a plurality of cameras; and a processor configured to:determine the user's visual focus point on the dual-mode display; basedon the user's visual focus point, activate the one or more camerasclosest to the user's visual focus point, to record an image of a user.17. A method comprising: configuring a dual-mode display to becomeopaque when displaying opaque portions of a display image, the dual-modedisplay to become substantially transparent when not displaying thedisplay image; placing a light sensor beneath a selectively addressableregion associated with the dual-mode display, the light sensor toactivate and deactivate, and when the light sensor activates the lightsensor to detect a property of incoming light, said placing comprisingestablishing a correspondence between the light sensor and theselectively addressable region, said establishing the correspondencecomprising: configuring a first set of electrodes to activate and todeactivate the dual-mode display except the selectively addressableregion; configuring a second set of electrodes to activate and todeactivate the selectively addressable region; and configuring theselectively addressable region to not to display the display image whenthe light sensor activates while at least a portion of the dual-modedisplay is displaying opaque portions of the display image, such thatthe inactive selectively addressable region tends to be unnoticeable toa user.
 18. The method of claim 17, said configuring the dual-modedisplay comprising: providing a substantially transparent cathode layer;providing a substantially transparent light emitting layer comprisingorganic light emitting diodes; and providing a substantially transparentanode layer.
 19. The method of claim 18, comprising providing a thinfilm transistor (TFT) layer to cause the substantially transparent lightemitting layer to emit light.
 20. The method of claim 17, saidestablishing the correspondence between the light sensor and theselectively addressable region comprising: storing in a memory anidentification associated with a plurality of light emitting elementscorresponding to the selectively addressable region; and sending theidentification associated with the plurality of light emitting elementsto a display controller.
 21. The method of claim 17, comprisingproviding an opaque substrate with a transparent region, the transparentregion disposed proximate to the light sensor.
 22. The method of claim21, comprising disposing a lens associated with the light sensor withinthe transparent region, the lens to focus incoming light to the lightsensor.
 23. The method of claim 17, comprising: placing a plurality ofcameras beneath a plurality of portions of the dual-mode display;configuring a processor to track the user's head, based on a pluralityof images recorded by the plurality of cameras; and based on the headtracking configuring the processor to display a different display imageon the dual-mode display.
 24. The method of claim 17, comprising:placing a plurality of cameras beneath a plurality of portions of thedual-mode display; configuring a processor to track the user's eyes,based on a plurality of images recorded by the plurality of cameras; andbased on the eye tracking, activating a camera in the plurality ofcameras closest to the user's focus point on the substantially transferparent display layer, said activating the camera comprising recording,by the camera, an image of the user.